Baby / Child

How Much Sleep Does Your Child Need?

Sleep is just as crucial to the health of a child as exercise and good nutrition. Knowing how much your child needs depends on their age. 

According to the Sleep Foundation,“by three to six months, most infants have a regular sleep-wake cycle.” Here are their recommendations for the amount of sleep by age.

  • Newborns (0-3 months)
  • Newborns sleep a total of 10.5 to 18 hours a day on an irregular schedule with periods of one to three hours spent awake.
  • Infants (4-11 months)
  • Infants typically sleep 9-12 hours during the night and take 30 minutes to two-hour naps, one to four times a day – fewer as they reach age one.
  • Toddlers (1-2 years)
  • Toddlers need about 11-14 hours of sleep in a 24-hour period.
  • Preschoolers (3-5 years)
  • Preschoolers typically sleep 11-13 hours each night, and most do not nap after five years of age.
  • School-aged children (6-13 years)
  • Children aged six to 13 need 9-11 hours of sleep.

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